New Surgery Repairs Dog Knees

By Darcy Lockman

A year ago, when computer programmer Brad Kantor’s eight-year-old golden retriever, Goldy, began limping after their long morning walks, Kantor, who lives in Wayne, N.J., figured his once-lively pup was simply getting older. When Goldy began dragging his back leg as he walked, though, his owner suspected there was something more going on than just the normal aging process. “I took him to the vet,” remembers Kantor. “She watched him walk and then felt around his bad knee. She suspected he would need surgery.”

Goldy is not alone. Each year, more than one million dogs develop hind leg problems due to what, as it turned out, Kantor’s dog had: a debilitating knee condition called a cranial cruciate ligament (or CCL) deficiency. While surgery is a painful fix, a new, less invasive procedure is making the operation easier on pooches. Below, Dr. James Cook, the University of Missouri-based veterinarian and orthopedic researcher who developed the procedure, explains the injury and his innovative solution.

InjuryHuman athletes often injure the knee’s anterior cruciate ligament (or ACL), and the CCL problem in dogs is comparable. However, while ACL tears are the result of one unfortunate accident, like a fall down the stairs or a twist on the basketball court, CCL deficiencies are usually due to a degenerative process that develops over the years as athletic dogs leap to catch flying discs, tear around corners and engage in other high-impact activities. “It’s the most common orthopedic injury in dogs,” says Dr. Cook. “It can occur in any breed at any age, though it’s most common in larger dogs like Newfoundlands, goldens, Labradors and Rottweilers between the ages of two and nine.”

PreventionWhile CCL deficiencies can’t always be avoided, the best way to stave them off is to keep your pet at a healthy weight. “Don’t let your dog get heavy, and keep the muscles around the knee strong with hiking, swimming and leash climbing,” advises Dr. Cook, who points out that the slender greyhounds belong to the only large breed not afflicted with CCL problems. “You can’t strengthen the ligament, but you can strengthen the muscle around it.”

Dr. Cook also recommends that you make sure to feed your canine a food with enough protein. According to the National Academy of Sciences, a minimum of 10 percent of your adult dog’s caloric intake should come from crude protein. “A quality commercial pet food does everything possible for a dog’s overall nutrition as well as the bones and joints. The science that goes into these products is incredible. It’s nice as a vet -- we don’t have to formulate anything for dogs but can just advise our clients to feed the commercially available products.” Ask your veterinarian about the healthiest weight for your dog, and get recommendations for a weight reduction formula, if necessary.

CureSmall dogs that are overweight are sometimes treated conservatively with diet and exercise modifications. For the larger breeds more prone to the injury, though, the best solution is usually surgery. Traditional methods involve cutting the bone, and this can lead to complications -- from bone fracture to joint damage. Dr. Cook’s technique, known as Tightrope CCL, relies on drilling and small incisions rather than cutting the bone. Because of the drilling, a canine must weigh at least 40 pounds to be a candidate for the Tightrope technique.

“The other surgeries work well, but I was drawn to switch to Tightrope because the complications are less serious,” Dr. Cook says. “When you cut the bone and something goes wrong, the animal can be nonfunctional afterwards, and it can be severe enough that the dog has to be put down.” He adds, “Also, the public is generally interested in less invasive techniques these days. So, that, too, was part of my consideration in developing this.”

RecoveryWhile the surgery is a cure, without rehabilitation, a dog will not heal. CCL surgeries like Tightrope require 10 to 12 weeks of post-op limited activity. “The dog should be walking short distances and only on a leash. It should be in a crate when you’re not around to monitor activity,” emphasizes Dr. Cook. “Don’t fall for that sad face and let your dog out!”

As the weeks of rehabilitation progress, your best friend will most likely experience a 95 percent return to full function. It will also be officially arthritic. At this point, Dr. Cook says, it becomes important to attend to that condition, both with weight management and feeding foods containing glucosamine and chondritin sulfate, which are extracts from fish tissue and cartilage that are acknowledged building blocks for canine cartilage.

As for Kantor’s dog, Goldy, he’s back in fine form after undergoing one of the older procedures to stabilize his knee. “I don’t throw things for him to jump for anymore,” says Kantor. “But we can still go for slow-paced walks before I go to work.” These are walks that both owner and pooch now appreciate more than ever.

Darcy Lockmanis a freelance writer and frequent contributor to The Dog Daily. Her work has appeared in The New York Times and Rolling Stone. She lives in Brooklyn with the prettiest pug dog in the five boroughs.

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Posted on December 15, 2008

Suzanne adam says: I have a 5 year old yellow lab who had a knew repare (TPLO) when she was almost 2 years old. I beleive her opposite rear knee is in need of repair. Can you suggest some one in MI who can see if the minimally invase tight rope proceedure may be used on her thanks

Posted on January 17, 2009

Kristi B says: I see that there is a lower weight limit (no dogs under 40 lbs), but is there also an upper weight limit to this procedure? I have a 3 year old English mastiff who weighs 125 lbs. Is this procedure successful for dogs over 100 lbs?

Posted on May 13, 2009

bob centeck says: Are there Vets in MI who perform this surgery? I have a 90 lb American Bulldog with a torn CCL.

Posted on November 22, 2009

don walker says: what is the cost of this kind of surgery repair?

Posted on January 24, 2010

barbara says: i have a 74 llb german shep 6mnths old he has a torn acl

Posted on March 10, 2010

Diane Soles says: I have a 71 pound pitt mix that needs knee surgery that we can not afford. My husband is on disability for back inj. and seziures the dog alerts him before he has a seziure and she
is alot of company for him when
Im at work . Do you know of any
one that can help us.

Posted on September 25, 2008

Vannase Cary says: My Service Dog is a Siezure Alert dog I own him and he is very valuable to me not only as a friend, but as a worker as well.
He alerts me 15 to 45 minutes in advance to my seizures and with him in my life he has changed everything.
In fact he has given me a second chance at life again. Where I was becoming a shut in he helped me get out and enjoy life once more.
In doing this he has injured both knees and needs both of them done. However, I am on disablity and cannot afford $3000.00 even for the one leg to be done.
Do you have any suggestions on how I should go.